Emmys 2014: Robin Williams remembered by friends, fans

An image of the late Robin Williams is shown as Billy Crystal speaks during the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards show broadcast at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Monday August 25, 2014. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker / Los Angeles Daily News)

Comedian Billy Crystal presented a brief, but emotional tribute to the late Robin Williams that consisted of a montage of Williams’ greatest moments, which started with an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.”

“He was the greatest friend you could ever imagine,” Crystal said, who has been mostly tight-lipped about Williams’ death and had not posted anything on social media since he tweeted “No words” right after the initial announcement.

“It’s very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in all our lives,” Crystal continued.

Other friends and fans of Williams lent their words backstage, many commenting for the first time since his death.

Sarah Silverman was the first to make it backstage to discuss her Emmy win after the tribute and acknowledged — after cussing, talking about the marijuana in her purse and joking about her boobs — that it felt awkward to break the silence.

“We just watched that Robin Williams tribute and I feel weird,” said Silverman, who won for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for “Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles.”

But one can only imagine that Williams would appreciate the laughs back stage as comedy was the clear winner at the Emmys, from host Seth Meyers’ hilarious monologue to Weird Al Yankovic’s parody performance with Andy Samberg.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel showed up to the award show wearing rainbow suspenders, a tribute to Williams beloved character in “Mork and Mindy.”

On a more serious note, Kathy Bates seemed to be on the verge of tears back stage as she remembered Williams.

She specifically recalled the time when, pre-cellphone era, Williams gave her a quarter so she could call her mom when she won a Golden Globe for “Misery.”

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“I never forgot that kindness... I didn’t know him well, but he was so kind,” Bates recalled.

Bates continued sharing stories of Williams, adding that in 1999, when she lost to Judi Dench in the Best Supporting Actress category, Williams, who was that category’s presenter, consoled her during the commercial break.

“He said, ‘I really wish I had your name in the envelope. I know how hard it is to lose,’” Bates said. “So this is a special night for that reason. I almost wanted to say, ‘I won this time and this is for you.’”